Can top removing device



O 5, 1955 R. A. TAUTFEST 2,721,673

CAN TOP REMOVING DEVICE Filed Dec. 7, 9

Roy A. .7 2 l/7'FES7:

1 INVENTOR.

United States Patent CAN TOP REMQVING DEVICE Roy A. Tautfest, Long Beach, Calif., assignor of one-half to Charles N. Harmon, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,432

2 Claims. (Cl. 22t 52) The present invention relates generally to can opening devices, and more particularly to a novel top-removing device for use with a can having its top secured in place by a circumferential metal strip.

Several foodstuffs, for example coffee and lard, are packaged in cylindrical cans having a top which is secured by a circumferential strip that forms a part of the upper sidewall of the can. This strip is adapted to be unwound by means of a key which is removably attached to the can. This key includes a shank formed with a slot for receiving one end of the strip and a handle by means of which the shank may be rotated. Such rotation causes the strip to be torn radially outwardly from the can and wound about the shank of the key; the key following a circumferential path around the upper portion of the can.

Removing the top of a can in the above-described manner often involves considerable difficulty, especially when performed by women. An appreciable amount of force is generally required in order to rotate the key, while the danger of cutting ones fingers on the sharp edges of the strip is always present. Furthermore, it is not always possible to cause the strip to unwind in a straight line. Accordingly, it may be necessary to partially rewind the strip, straighten it, and then again commence the unwinding operation.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved top-removing device for use with a can having its top secured in place by a peripheral strip which is unwound from the can by means of a key.

Another object is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature which permits the unwinding operation to be conducted in a minimum amount of time and with a reduced amount of eifort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature which may be used with complete safety to the operator.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature which is simple in design and rugged of construction, having no moving parts whereby it may afford a long and useful service life.

Yet another object is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature which may be manufactured at low cost from readily obtainable materials.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature having special means for insuring that the strip will be unwound in a straight line.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view showing a preferred form of top-removing device embodying the present invention during a can top removing operation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of said device- Figure 3 is a side elevational view of said device; and,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the top-removing device D of the present invention is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with a metal key K in removing the top T of a cylindrical can C by unwinding the circumferential strip S which normally secures the top T to the upper sidewall of the can. The key K includes a shank 10 formed at its intermediate portion with a slot 12 for receiving the strip S, and a handle 14 by means of which the shank may be rotated about its longitudinal axis. One end of the strip S normally extends free of the upper sidewall of the can whereby it may be inserted within the slot 12.

The top-removing device D includes two parallel, vertically spaced and aligned, horizontally-extending upper and lower legs 20 and 22, respectively. These legs 20 and 22 are rigidly connected by a vertically extending web 24 disposed therebetween. Conveniently, the legs 20 and 22, and the web 24 will be integrally formed of a metal or plastic casting. Alternately, however, other rigid materials may be utilized to form these members. The can abutting side of the legs 20 and 22 is of arcuate configuration as indicated at 26, whereby the device may slidably engage the upper sidewall of the can. The can abutting side of the web 24 may likewise be arcuately conformed. A strip-receiving recess 30 is defined between the legs 20 and 22, which recess extends rearwardly from the front of the legs to the approximate midportion of the device. The legs 20 and 22 are formed with aligned notches 32 and 34 whereby are defined vertically aligned seats 36 and 38 for receiving verticallyspaced portions of the shank 10 of key K. Preferably, the top portion of the upper leg 20 will extend radially inwardly from the can abutting side 26 thereof so as to define a guide shoulder 40.

In most cases the top T of the can is formed with a flange 42 that extends radially outwardly from the upper sidewall of the can. Additionally, a radially outwardly extending projection 44 is often formed in the upper sidewall of the can a short distance below the top T. To accommodate these radially outwardly extending projections the upper leg 29 may be formed with a horizontally extending groove 46 to receive the projection 42, while the lower leg 22 may be formed with a horizontally extending groove 48 to receive the lower projection 44.

In operation, the free end of the strip S will first be disposed in the key slot 12. Next, the key K will be positioned within the notches 32 and 34 and the key handle 14 is turned so as to rotate the shank 10. Such rotation will tear the strip radially outwardly away from the upper sidewall of the can and cause it to be wound about the key shank, as shown in Figure 4.

This winding action of the strip S about the key shank causes the top-removing device D to slide along the upper sidewall U in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the directional arrows in Figures 2 and 3. As the key is rotated the portions of its shank 10 on either side of the slot 12 will rest upon the seats 36 and 38 of the legs 20 and 22, respectively. As the top-removing device D moves around the periphery of the upper sidewall of the can, the guide shoulder 40 of the upper leg 20 serves to prevent inadvertent downward movement of the device relative to the can. Additionally, where the can is formed with the radially outwardly projections 42 and 44, the latter will cooperate with grooves 46 and 48 to assist in guiding the device in a straight path around the periphery of the cans upper sidewall. After the strip S has been completely removed from the can, the top may be lifted therefrom and the key and its attached strip S may be discarded. The top-removing device D will then be immediately ready for re-use with another can.

While there has been shown and described what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the follow ing claims.

I claim:

1. A top-removing device for use with a can having its top secured in place by a circumferential strip which is to be unwound from the upper portion of the sidewall of said can by means of a key, the upper portion of the sidewall of said can including a radially outwardly extending circumferential projection at each side of said strip, said device comprising two parallel, spaced and aligned, legs, one side of said legs being cylindrically concave whereby said legs may slidably engage the cylindrical upper portion of the sidewall of said can; means rigidly interconnecting adjacent end portions of said legs whereby a recess is defined therebetween for receiving said strip, said recess extending radially outwardly from the cylindrically concave side of said legs; a groove formed in the cylindrically concave side of each of said legs parallel of said recess for receiving one of said circumferential projections; a guide shoulder formed on the outermost side of one leg for engaging the upper peripheral surface of said top; and, a seat formed in each of said legs said seats being aligned transversely of said recess for receiving spaced portions of said key.

2. A strip coiling guide for detachable coaction with a strip coiling key adapted to remove a tear strip from the side Wall of a cylindrical can having an annular bead on its said side wall spaced from said tear strip and adjacent the innermost edge thereof: said guide comprising a block-like body member having a cylindrically concave surface which fits against the side wall of the can, an arcuate groove formed in said concave surface concentrically therewith, to receive the annular bead of the can for guiding said body member around the can, a slot formed in said body member in parallel relation to said groove to accommodate the coiled strip, a pair of recesses formed in said body member on the opposite side of said body member from its concave surface and on opposite sides of the slot and communicating therewith, said recesses being formed in alignment with each other and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said slot, said rccesses also being open at the top and open through the side edges of said body member to permit of insertion of the key therein and being closed at the bottom to serve as bearings for said key, the depth of said recesses being sufficient to enable the key to rise as the coiled strip enlarges without leaving the recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,290 Hildebrandt Dec. 25, 1934 2,300,270 Wakefield Oct. 27, 1942 2,333,841 Bugge Nov. 9, 1943 2,572,820 Schulter Oct. 23, 1951 2,612,287 Snook Sept. 30, 1952 2,660,331 Inman Nov. 24, 1953 

